Animal Health & Welfare

Calving difficulty (dystocia) in beef cattle can increase calf losses, cow mortality and veterinary and labour costs, as well as causing a delay in the return to oestrus and a decrease in conception rates.

Whilst occasional dystocia is almost unavoidable, stockmen can minimise dystocia through proper management. Ensuring that cows are in the correct body condition for calving can reduce calving difficulties.  Typically, spring calving sucklers and heifers should have a condition score of 2 - 2.5 at calving whilst autumn calvers should have a condition score of 3.  For further information on condition scoring of cows to manage calving problems, use the link on the right.

Control of both genetics and environment are also necessary to minimise dystocia.  The tabs in the menu to the left provide information on:

• Understanding the causes of dystocia
• Recommendations to reduce dystocia
• The importance of BLUP for estimating the calving ease EBV

 Defra produce a free booklet on 'Improving calf survival' (PB3335) which provides additional information.